Electronic document annotation

ABSTRACT

Annotating a document in a data processing system, wherein the document includes a first content section and a data structure, can include receiving a request to annotate the document, wherein the request comprises an annotation, and an identification of the document to annotate, and creating a second content section comprising the annotation. The data structure can be updated with a reference to the second content section thereby making the second content section available as an annotation in association with the document.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the national stage of PCT/EP10/061442 filed Aug. 5,2010, designating, inter alia, the United States and claiming priorityto European Patent Application No. 09179211.9 filed Dec. 15, 2009, eachof which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Collaborative sharing of electronic documents is a common use of theInternet. An electronic mail message, also known as an email message, isan example of a collaborative document. Typically, an email systemcomprises a server-based email computer program operating on a servercomputer, that manages the exchange of email messages over one or morenetworks, and a client-based email computer program operating on aclient computer to implement a mail box that receives and holds emailmessages for a user. Typically, client-based email computer programsalso include a graphical user interface (GUI) to enable a user to openand read email messages in addition to creating new email messages. Anemail system may use a client-server model, where an email message issent from a server to a client. A user of the client may view a copy ofthe email message on a local computer. Alternatively, an email systemmay use an internet model where the email message is stored on a server,and a user of the system may view the email message on the serverthrough an internet connection with the local machine of the user.

An ‘email client’ is a client-based email computer program.

An email message typically comprises metadata, a message body, andheader information (for example, a distribution list). The metadatastructure comprises information about the email message, the body, andthe header information. Typically, metadata is not displayed by an emailclient.

Typically, sent email messages, are routed to a Simple Mail TransferProtocol (SMTP) delivery server or a mail router, and then forwarded tothose listed on the email. Email messages within an email system have aconsistent structure: for example, a distribution list, a subject, abody and attachments. Email messages may be as rich in content and aslong as necessary.

Users often send email messages to multiple recipients. A recipient ofan email message may reply to a sender of the email message. A replymessage is itself an email message and is sent using email transmissionprotocols. A reply message does not alter the original email message,but is a separate email message. Reply messages may be associated withthe original email message to create a history record of an emailcommunication. A reply message may be made solely to the sender of anemail message, or to the sender and all recipients (‘reply-to-all’) ofan email message. Typically, the reply message may also include a copyof the original email message text body, or a copy of the original emailmessage text body, which a replying user has annotated. However, aproblem exists with replying to an email message sent to multiplerecipients, as the sender of the email message must collate informationfrom multiple replies, before the sender and the recipients can see aconsistent view of the email message and the multiple replies. Even if arecipient copies the other recipients on a reply (for example by using areply-to-all option), the entire process of collecting reply informationgenerates many email messages between the sender and recipients, andbecomes very time consuming for the original sender or those users onthe distribution list to keep track of all of the responses. The processalso consumes many computer resources.

BRIEF SUMMARY

An embodiment can include a method. The method can include receiving,within a data processing system, a request to annotate a document,wherein the request includes an annotation, and an identification of adocument to annotate, and responsive to receiving the request, analysingthe request to identify the annotation, and the document to which theannotation is related. The document can include a first content sectionand a data structure. Responsive to identifying the annotation, a secondcontent section can be created that includes the annotation. Responsiveto identifying the document using the identification, the data structurecan be updated with a reference to the second content section therebymaking the second content section available in association with thedocument.

Another embodiment can include a system. The system can include a dataprocessing system configured to initiate executable operations. Theexecutable operations can include receiving a request to annotate adocument, wherein the request includes an annotation, and anidentification of a document to annotate, and responsive to receivingthe request, analysing the request to identify the annotation, and thedocument to which the annotation is related. The document can include afirst content section and a data structure. Responsive to identifyingthe annotation, a second content section can be created that includesthe annotation. Responsive to identifying the document using theidentification, the data structure can be updated with a reference tothe second content section thereby making the second content sectionavailable in association with the document.

Another embodiment can include a computer program product. The computerprogram product can include a computer readable storage medium havingcomputer readable program code embodied therewith that, when executed,configures a processor to perform executable operations. The executableoperations can include receiving a request to annotate a document,wherein the request includes an annotation, and an identification of adocument to annotate, and responsive to receiving the request, analysingthe request to identify the annotation, and the document to which theannotation is related. The document can include a first content sectionand a data structure. Responsive to identifying the annotation, a secondcontent section can be created that includes the annotation. Responsiveto identifying the document using the identification, the data structurecan be updated with a reference to the second content section therebymaking the second content section available in association with thedocument.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more aspects of the present invention will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to preferred embodiments, asillustrated in the following figures:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a data processing system, inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting an exemplary view from a simplified emailclient, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a high-level exemplary schematic flow diagram depictingtypical operation method steps performed by an email agent, inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary block diagram depicting the email agent in whichone or more aspects of the present invention may be embodied;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting messages operating in an emailsystem, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting the exemplary view from a simplified emailclient, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Viewed from a first aspect the present invention provides an apparatusfor annotating a document in a data processing system, wherein thedocument comprises a first content section and a data structure, theapparatus comprising: a receiver component for receiving a request toannotate the document, wherein the request comprises an annotation, andan identification of the document to annotate; an analyser component,responsive to the receiver component receiving the request, foranalysing the request to identify the annotation, and the document towhich the annotation is related; a creator component, responsive to theanalyser component identifying the annotation, for creating a secondcontent section comprising the annotation; and an updater component,responsive to the analyser component identifying the document using theidentification, for updating the data structure with a reference to thesecond content section thereby making the second content sectionavailable in association with the document.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus,wherein the apparatus further comprises a display component fordisplaying the document and the second content section.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus,wherein the document is an email document. Alternatively, the presentinvention provides an apparatus, wherein the document is an instantmessage.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus,wherein the apparatus further comprises a sender component for sendingthe document. Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus,wherein the sender component is further operable for sending therequest. Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus,wherein the receiver component is further operable for receiving thedocument.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus,wherein the request is an asynchronous request.

Viewed from a second aspect the present invention provides a method forannotating a document in a data processing system, wherein the documentcomprises a first content section and a data structure, the methodcomprising the steps of: receiving a request, wherein the requestcomprises a message, and an identification of the document; responsiveto receiving the request, analysing the request to identify the message,and the identification; responsive to identifying the message, creatinga second content section, wherein the second content section comprisesthe message; and responsive to identifying the identification, updatingthe data structure with a reference to the second content sectionthereby making the second content section available.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides a method,wherein the method further comprises the step of displaying the documentand the second content section.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides a method,wherein the document is an email document.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides a method,wherein the document is an instant message.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides a method,wherein the method further comprises the step of sending the document.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides a method,wherein the method further comprises the step of sending the request.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides a method,wherein the method further comprises the step of receiving the document.

Preferably, an aspect of the present invention provides a method,wherein the request is an asynchronous request.

Viewed from a third aspect, the present invention provides a computerprogram comprising computer code to, when loaded into a computer systemand executed thereon, cause said computer system to perform all of thesteps of the invention.

Advantageously, an aspect of the present invention provides anapparatus, method and computer program to annotate an originalelectronic document as well as all different repliers' copies of thedocument without resending the message, thereby reducing mail threadsand mail traffic. This reduces the amount of electronic messages orinvitations in a user's In-box. Unlike email annotation that isassociated with the annotator's copy of an original electronic message,a notelet will be added to the original electronic message along withall different repliers' notelets without resending the originalelectronic message. A notelet is added to an electronic document in amanner that simplifies the management of such electronic documents forsender, so that all the related information can be viewed in one singledocument. A second content section may be provided as an annotation ofthe original electronic document, without altering the original content.The annotation is provided a notelet of a set format that inheritscharacteristics from the annotated email message.

Advantageously, an aspect of the invention may also be applied tomeeting invitations, where a notelet concerning the original invitation,for example about people attending can be associated with the originalinvitation. One or more aspects of the present invention provide overallbetter efficiency and management of electronic messages containing along list of recipients, as well as a great reduction of mail exchangethrough a network and reduction of space requirement on email servers.

As an example, users may use notelets when responding to an emailcalendar invitation: rather than sending separate responses to theoriginator, an invitee could annotate the original calendar invitationwith a notelet signifying whether the invitee can attend or not.

Advantageously, prior art systems and methods of email propagationrelying on routers is bypassed. Users benefit from the annotationdirectly from the server once created.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a data processing system 100, inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Anemail system (not depicted) is used on a data processing system 100 thatcomprises workstation A 120, workstation B 125, workstation C 130, and aserver 150. Workstations 120, 125, 130 and server 150 are connectablethrough a data processing network 110. An email client 145 is operableon the workstations 120, 125, 130 in communication with an email server142 operated on the server 150, and with each other. Only the emailclient 145 on workstation A 120 is depicted. FIG. 1 depicts User A 136,User B 138, and User C 140. Users access the email system by interactingwith an email client operating on a workstation 120, 125, 130. Forexample, User A 136 accesses the email system by interacting with theemail client 145 operating on workstation A 120. Email messageinteractions between User A 136, User B 138, and User C 140 areperformed by email clients 145 that User A 136, User B 138, and User C140 respectively interact with. In a client-server email system, anemail client 145 sends a copy of an email message 148 to another emailclient 145 through an email server 142. In an Internet email system, anemail client 145 accesses an email message 146, composed by User A 136and stored on an email server 142 through an Internet connection 110.

By way of description, as an example, User A 136 is a sender of anoriginal email message 148 to User B 138 and User C 140. Followingreceipt of the original email message 148, User B 138 replies to User A136 with an asynchronous request comprising a comment message concerningthe original email message. The email client 145 of User B 138 sends therequest to the sender's email server 142 to attach the comment messageto the original email message in the form referred to herein as a“notelet”. A notelet is an annotation to an email message. A notelet haspre-imposed limitations (for example, display format, and maximum size).Some information concerning the notelet is inherited or derived from theassociated email message. Although associated with an email message, anotelet does not follow typical email system ways of sending orreceiving or routing.

FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting an exemplary view 200 from a simplifiedemail client 145, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. The view 200 depicts an email message 148 as viewedby the sender User A 136, including a header information section 220 anda content section 230. The content section 230 comprises text. Theheader information section 220 indicates that this email message 148 waspreviously sent by User A 136 (‘From’ section 222) to two recipients(User B 138 and User C 138 in ‘To’ section 224). The header informationsection 220 also comprises a subject section 229, which indicates thesubject of the email message 148. The graphical user interface (GUI) ofthe email client 145 provides a section 210 for displaying functions212, 214, 216, 218. The functions comprise: a reply button 212 forreplying to the sender; a reply-to-all button 214 for replying to all; areply-with-notelet button 216 for replying with a notelet to a sender.In an alternative embodiment, the functions also include a refreshbutton 218 for updating the email message 148 to include any noteletreceived, although the refresh process could be automatic. The contentsection 230 comprises the text of the email message 148.

FIG. 3, which should be read in conjunction with FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 is ahigh-level exemplary schematic flow diagram 300 depicting operationmethod steps performed by an email agent 404 of sender User A 136 toannotate the email message 148 with replies from User B 138 and User C140 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.The flow diagram depicts the steps performed in a client-server emailsystem. FIG. 3 is set forth as a logical flow chart diagram. As such,the depicted order and labelled steps are indicative of one embodimentof the presented method. Other steps and methods may be conceived thatare equivalent in function, logic, or effect of one or more steps orportions thereof, of the illustrated method. Additionally the format andsymbols employed are provided to explain the logical steps of the methodand are understood not to limit the scope of the method.

FIG. 4, is an exemplary block diagram depicting the email agent 404 inwhich one or more aspects of the present invention may be embodied. FIG.5 is a block diagram 500 depicting messages operating in an emailsystem, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting the exemplary view 600 from asimplified email client 145, in accordance with a preferred embodimentof the present invention.

The method starts at step 301. At step 305, a sender component 410 ofUser A 136 sends an email message 148, 502 to User B 138, and to User C140. The email message 502 comprises a metadata structure 504, a header512 and a content 514. The metadata structure 504 is a rich text objectassociated with the email message 146, 148, directly linked to theextension point of the Internet Mail Request for Comments (RFC). TheInternet Mail RFC document acts as an Internet Engineering Task Force(IETF) standard for defining Internet mail protocols. The metadatastructure 504 comprises sections that provide links between the elementsof the email message 148. An identification section 506 comprises anidentification ‘id 1’ of the email message 502. A header section 508identifies the header ‘h1’ 512. A content section 510 identifies thecontent ‘body 1’ 514. The content ‘body 1’ 514 comprises text ‘text 1’.In an alternative embodiment metadata structure 504 may also compriseadditional sections 511.

At step 310, a receiver component 420 of User B 136 and of User C 138receives the email message ‘id 1’ 148, 502. At step 315, User B 138creates a reply to User A 136 using a notelet application programminginterface (API) by triggering the reply-with-notelet button 216. At step320, the sender component 410 of User B 138 sends and saves a request520 to update a metadata structure 504 associated with the email message‘id 1’ 148, 502. The request 520 comprises an identification parameter522 of the email message 148, 502 that it is associated with; a messageparameter 524, for example “text 2”; and a sender parameter 526 tosignify the sender User B 138 of the notelet The request 520 is sent tothe email agent 404 of User A 136. The request 520 is sent as an‘Asynchronous JavaScript and Extensible Markup Language’ (Ajax) request.Ajax requests from a client can retrieve data asynchronously in thebackground from a server, without affecting an existing webpage. In analternative embodiment the request 520 may also comprise additionalparameters 528.

At step 325, the receiver component 420 of the email agent 404 of User A136 receives the request 520. An analyser component 430 of User A 136analyses the request 520. At step 335, the analyser component 430identifies the identification of the originating email message 148, 502from the identification parameter 522 and locates the associatedmetadata structure 504 associated with the email message ‘id 1’ 148. Atstep 340, the analyser component 430 identifies a message ‘text 2’ ofthe request 520 from the message parameter 524.

At step 345, a creator component 440 of User A 136 creates a notelet‘n1’ 538, comprising the message ‘text 2’. At step 350, an updatercomponent 440 of User A 136 updates the metadata structure 504 of theidentified email message 502. The updated metadata structure 530comprises the identification section 506, the header section 508, thecontent section 510, and a notelet section 536. The notelet section 536identifies the associated notelet ‘n1’ 538. Preferably, the metadatastructure may be updated exploiting extension points that exist in thecurrent Mail RFC. Exploiting RFC extension points allows an email systemof a preferred embodiment of the invention to coexist with prior artemail clients.

At step 355, a display component 460 of User A 136 displays the originalemail message 148 and any notelets 538 identified by the updatedmetadata structure 530. FIG. 6 depicts the exemplary view 200, 600 ofthe email client 145 of email message ‘id 1’ 148, notelet 538, 610 fromUser B 138 with text ‘text 2’, and a notelet 538, 620 from User C 138with text ‘text 3’. The body 514 of the original email message 148 hasnot been updated, but rather has been displayed with any attachednotelets 538. In a preferred embodiment, a notelet 538 is an annotationthat is visualised proximate to the body 514 of the original emailmessage 148. The annotation is one level deep, in contrast to the body514 of the original email message 148 that may have multiple degrees ofnesting and hence capability. Being one level deep and being annotationsmeans that notelets 538 are different from annotations in prior artsolutions.

Alternatively, the notelet may be made available in any form, forexample as a HyperText Markup Language (HTML)page, or any clientrendered page. Alternatively, the notelet may be made available as aUniform Resource Locator (URL), which is linked to the notelet content.

At step 360, the sender component 410 of User A 136, propagates thenotelet 538 to the recipients User B 138 and User C 140. The emailagents 404 at User B 138, and User C 140 follow steps 335, 350, and 355to update the respective metadata structures 504 of the copies of theemail message ‘id 1’ 148, and to display the original copy of the emailmessage 148 and any notelets 538 identified by the updated metadatastructure 530. In this way, all recipients of the email message ‘id 1’148 display a consistent view of the email message 148 and anyassociated notelets. The notelet 538 is cached by User B 138 and User C140. If there are subsequent updates to the notelet 538, the serversends updated content only, rather than the entire notelet 538. Themethod ends at step 399.

In an alternative embodiment, at step 360, the sender component 410 ofUser A 136, forwards the request 520 to the recipients User B 138 andUser C 140. The email agents 404 at User B 138, and User C 140 followsteps 325, 330, 335, 340, 350, and 355 to update the respective metadatastructures 504 of the copies of the email message ‘id 1’ 148, and todisplay the original copy of the email message 148 and any notelets 538identified by the updated metadata structure 530.

In an alternative embodiment, a refresh button 218 is provided in theemail client 145 for manual refresh of the display to view newlyreceived notelets 404.

In an alternative embodiment, the email agent 404 at User B 138 uses thesaved request from step 320, and follows steps 325, 330, 335, 340, 350,and 355 to update the metadata structure 504 of the copies of the emailmessage ‘id 1’ 148, and to display the original copy of the emailmessage 148 and a notelet 538 identified by the updated metadatastructure 530.

In an alternative embodiment of a client-server email system, the emailagent 404 of User A 136, User B 138, and User C 140 is operable on theemail server 142.

In the preferred embodiment in an Internet email system, the email agent404 is also operable on the email server 142 to update a metadatastructure 504 associated with an email message 146 on a server 150. Inthis embodiment there is no requirement to propagate a request 520 atstep 360 to the recipients, because User A 136, User B 138, and User C140 all have visibility of the same email message 146 on the emailserver 142.

In a preferred embodiment, the request 520 comprises MultipurposeInternet Mail Extensions (MIME) encoded header information providingdetails of a notelet 538. The MIME encoded header information isdesignated as an update type and contain information on theidentification 522 of the email message 146, 502 that was sent. Theheader information may contain information about, for example, thesubject, date and time to enable full identification of the emailmessage 146, 148 by the receiving email agent 404. The email agent 404may recognise the update encoding in the email and be able to processthe header information included to identify the original email.

In a preferred embodiment, an icon is displayable in an email messagelist associated with an email message 146, 148 that has had a notelet404 applied. The icon indicates to a user that there is new notelet 404,which has been attached to the original email message 146, 148. Thecolor for the icon is changed according to different states of thenotelet 146, 148. An example of a notelet state is ‘viewed by emailmessage sender’.

In a preferred embodiment, a notelet 404 comprises related auditinginformation. For example, the date, and the sender (User B 138) of thenotelet 538.

In a preferred embodiment, the availability of a notelet 404 torecipients of an email message 146, 148 is set by the sender 136 of theemail message 146, 148. For example, User A 136 blocks the visibility ofnotelets 404 to certain recipients. This may be controlled through the‘To’ distribution list depicted in the ‘To’ section 224, or through the‘cc’ distribution list (not depicted).

In the preferred embodiment, at the point of creation of the notelet404, an AJAX transaction request 520 is sent to the email server 142,which in turn immediately propagates the information in the request 520to all other recipients of the email message 146, 148. Alternatively,propagation of information may be made by aggregating a number ofrequests. A user is not dependent on prior art email replication, orother prior art semantics concerning mail routing and mail delivery. AnAJAX transaction is an action between email client 145 and email server142 that takes place immediately.

In an alternative embodiment, propagation of the request 520 is carriedout using prior art replication techniques between email client 145 andemail server 142.

A notelet 538 inherits “subject matter” and “distribution list” headerinformation from the associated email message 148, 502. The notelet 538inherits “from” header information from the user User B 138 that sentthe request 520. Therefore, the distribution list of the notelet 538 isalways inherited or derived.

The characteristics of the notelet 538 (for example, the maximum size)is defined by an email system implementation. In contrast, the body 514of an original email message 148 or of a prior art reply email message148 is defined by the creating author. The notelet 538 is automaticallypropagated to all users 138, 140, because the notelet 538 inherits thedistribution list of the associated email message 148, 502.

In an alternative embodiment the data processing system comprises aninstant message (IM) system. The IM system allows for collaborative IMexchanges between two participants, or for more than two participantsmultiple participants. Annotations of IM group chats by the multipleparticipants are made using notelets. The document that is annotated isan instant message.

In an alternative embodiment the document that is annotated is acollaborative document that is stored on a shared directory. An exampleof a collaborative document is an IBM® Lotus® Symphony document (IBM,Lotus and Symphony are trademarks of International Business MachinesCorporation in the United States, other countries, or both.)

For the avoidance of doubt, the term “comprising”, as used hereinthroughout the description and claims is not to be construed as meaning“consisting only of”. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat the invention is not just limited to email messages, but is alsoapplicable to other types of collaborative documents, for example, ingroup chats in an instant messaging system.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A method, comprising: receiving, within a dataprocessing system, a request to annotate a document, wherein the requestcomprises an annotation, and an identification of a document toannotate; responsive to receiving the request, analysing the request toidentify the annotation, and the document to which the annotation isrelated, wherein the document comprises a first content section and adata structure; responsive to identifying the annotation, creating asecond content section comprising the annotation; and responsive toidentifying the document using the identification, updating the datastructure with a reference to the second content section thereby makingthe second content section available in association with the document.19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying the documentand the second content section.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein thedocument is an email document.
 21. The method of claim 18, wherein thedocument is an instant message.
 22. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising sending the document.
 23. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising sending the request.
 24. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising receiving the document.
 25. The method of claim 18, whereinthe request is an asynchronous request.
 26. A system comprising: a dataprocessing system configured to initiate executable operationscomprising: receiving a request to annotate a document, wherein therequest comprises an annotation, and an identification of a document toannotate; responsive to receiving the request, analysing the request toidentify the annotation, and the document to which the annotation isrelated, wherein the document comprises a first content section and adata structure; responsive to identifying the annotation, creating asecond content section comprising the annotation; and responsive toidentifying the document using the identification, updating the datastructure with a reference to the second content section thereby makingthe second content section available in association with the document.27. The system of claim 26, wherein the data processing system isfurther configured to initiate an executable operation comprisingdisplaying the document and the second content section.
 28. The systemof claim 26, wherein the document is an email document.
 29. The systemof claim 26, wherein the document is an instant message.
 30. The systemof claim 26, wherein the data processing system is further configured toinitiate an executable operation comprising sending the document. 31.The system of claim 26, wherein the data processing system is furtherconfigured to initiate an executable operation comprising sending therequest.
 32. The system of claim 26, wherein the data processing systemis further configured to initiate an executable operation comprisingreceiving the document.
 33. The system of claim 26, wherein the requestis an asynchronous request.
 34. A computer program product, comprising:a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program codeembodied therewith that, when executed, configures a processor toperform executable operations comprising: receiving a request toannotate a document, wherein the request comprises an annotation, and anidentification of a document to annotate; responsive to receiving therequest, analysing the request to identify the annotation, and thedocument to which the annotation is related, wherein the documentcomprises a first content section and a data structure; responsive toidentifying the annotation, creating a second content section comprisingthe annotation; and responsive to identifying the document using theidentification, updating the data structure with a reference to thesecond content section thereby making the second content sectionavailable in association with the document.
 35. The computer programproduct of claim 34, wherein computer readable storage medium furthercomprises computer readable program code embodied therewith that, whenexecuted configures a processor to perform an executable operationcomprising displaying the document and the second content section. 36.The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the document is anemail document.
 37. The computer program product of claim 34, whereinthe document is an instant message.
 38. The computer program product ofclaim 34, wherein computer readable storage medium further comprisescomputer readable program code embodied therewith that, when executedconfigures a processor to perform an executable operation comprisingsending the document.
 39. The computer program product of claim 34,wherein computer readable storage medium further comprises computerreadable program code embodied therewith that, when executed configuresa processor to perform an executable operation comprising sending therequest.
 40. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein computerreadable storage medium further comprises computer readable program codeembodied therewith that, when executed configures a processor to performan executable operation comprising receiving the document.
 41. Thecomputer program product of claim 34, wherein the request is anasynchronous request.